According to Amnesty International, more than two-thirds of the world’s countries have abolished the death penalty in law or in practice. But while capital punishment remains a controversial issue throughout the world- China has continued carrying out the practice in estimated record numbers. But now- a potential revision of the country’s criminal law may see the first reduction in the number of crimes carrying the death penalty since the law was enacted in 1979. BON’s Kelda Yuen has more.

Our laws developed much later, so our situation is different from other countries. I don’t think we should show more mercy to criminals, especially flagrant ones. We don’t need to make many changes in the criminal laws. The death penalty has existed for a long time in Chinese history. If you let criminals back into society, they may harm the social order. I don’t know much about the law. I just know anyone who seriously violates the law and harms social order deserves the death penalty. If they are lightly penalized, how will we be able to face the victims? It won’t damage our national image because we would be separating the criminals from the people.

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